25,000 acres retrieved

OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE - Provincial Disaster Management Authority Director General Khalid Sher Dil following the directions of Punjab Chief Minister has launched crackdown on land grabbers in the pond areas of all rivers, flood and rainy nullahs of Punjab. According to a press statement issued on Monday, Khalid Sher Dil said that in the first operation at Taunsa Barrage, 25,000 acre land had been retrieved from 13 pond areas. During the operation, seven Zamindara bunds were also dismantled. He said this during a briefing given to Chairman National Disaster Management Authority Zafar Qadir about the steps regarding flood fighting plan in the Punjab. Khalid informed that the operation was completed under the supervision of commissioner, district administration and wildlife department. He further informed that after this operation Taunsa Barrage had become totally safe and there would be no hindrance in flow of water, while the water has been released in it. Khalid said that land would be retrieved in all other pond areas of the province phase-wise and every kind of hurdle in flow of water in relevant rivers would be removed.